Cooking fried rice with that very "roasted" or "nutty" wok scent and taste?

[u50254082]

As much as I'd like to just go grab some at Fung's, I'm curious if anyone here knows what ingredient is added to fried rice to give it that really aromatic nutty scent? I usually make fried rice once a week when I have left over white rice, and while it almost always tastes great, it is missing that very key ingredient. I'm not sure if it is created via wok cooking, where it's all about timing and high heat or if it's a combination of things.

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

[Thomas Vu]

WHen I think nutty scent, try peanut oil?

[u50254082]

WHen I think nutty scent, try peanut oil?

Sorry maybe nutty isn't the right word. I think it is either a specific spice or the type of liquid used to cook it?

[SoonerDave]

Don't know about anyone else, but for me that taste has always been about the right amount of soy sauce. It cooks out so fast you sometimes have to use quite a bit, and if you use it too soon the rice won't get that subtle "crisp" to it, so for me it's taken some experimentation/balance with garlic to get it right.

[Jeepnokc]

Pure speculation but maybe sesame oil?

[sooner88]

The type of rice used will have a big impact also.

[Martin]

that's going to be tough to replicate on a home setup, especially if you have an electric range. the problem is getting the right amount of heat energy to the wok. most commercial setups are going to use a wok burner for this. -M

[Roger S]

Pure speculation but maybe sesame oil?

I'm going to agree that this is probably the ingredient giving the flavor you are seeking.... Go easy with it though... A little bit of sesame oil goes a long way.

[trousers]

I'm going to agree that this is probably the ingredient giving the flavor you are seeking.... Go easy with it though... A little bit of sesame oil goes a long way.

Truer words have never been spoken, or typed in this case.
I've about ruined more than one dish by looking away while pouring sesame oil into the wok.

[Martin]

i think sesame oil is the right flavor profile and will help... but i think that most of the 'nutty' flavors you get in restaurant fried rice are going to come from the maillard reaction. for fried rice, you need to cook very hot and very fast and i don't think most residential burners put out enough heat to get consistent results here. the problem is that once you put the rice in the cooking vessel, you lose too much heat and therefore end up with a dish that has a different taste and texture than a restaurant. -M

[Eddie1]

You may be thinking of "Maggi" seasoning, can get at Cao Nguyen Market...makes everything better.

[Andon]

Sesame oil, a hot wok or pan, and using day-old rice will help (though you can just toss the rice in the freezer for a few hours to help dry it out a bit if you're in a pinch).

[ctchandler]

Peanut oil doesn't add taste. It's great for Asian cooking because it has a high smoke factor and according to a professional chef I saw on tv, it doesn't add any taste. So, if you can produce high heat with a wok, (the wok concentrates the heat) peanut oil is the best. It's the only oil that I buy, I use it for everything, including popcorn. But I don't know what adds the taste you are looking for. Fresh ground ginger maybe? What ingredients do you use. I use bean sprouts, maybe that's the flavor you want.
C. T.

[Thomas Vu]

I considered sesame oil too, but I don't see it used very often except in Korean cuisine.

[Roger S]

I considered sesame oil too, but I don't see it used very often except in Korean cuisine.

Chow's is the one place I eat that you can definitely taste the sesame oil in their dishes.... Their fried rice can be a little overpowering sometimes.

I generally only eat dolsot bibimbap when I go out for Korean and never taste it in that. So I've never noticed how much it gets used in Korean cuisine.

[Mel]

Toasted Sesame Oil makes for a good flavor in the wok. Super Cao Nguyen in the Asian District has several different brands. Plenty of other oils too.

[TheTravellers]

Toasted Sesame Oil makes for a good flavor in the wok. Super Cao Nguyen in the Asian District has several different brands. Plenty of other oils too.

Yes, this is what my wife uses - Eden Selected is her brand, not sure where we got it, and also found out the first time that you need to use it sparingly.

[tfvc.org]

Use cooked jasmine or basmati rice as well, they will help add that bit of nutty flavor. The wok has to be scorching hot before you put the rice in. Like put your stove on high so the wok is smoking. Make sure you have all your ingredients ready to go before you start. Once you have them all prepped and next to the stove put in the toasted sesame oil and hot chili oil and once that is smoking add your raw veggies and rice, stir fry with a metal or wooden wok spoon to keep it from burning. Stir stir stir on high heat. Better on gas, but like me with electric, putting it on high high will do the trick as well.

[Thomas Vu]

Chow's is the one place I eat that you can definitely taste the sesame oil in their dishes.... Their fried rice can be a little overpowering sometimes.

I generally only eat dolsot bibimbap when I go out for Korean and never taste it in that. So I've never noticed how much it gets used in Korean cuisine.

At Korean BBQ's its often served as a side sauce, sesame oil and salt.

[Uptowner]

You also gotta consider the heat. Woks are crazy hot and you won't be able to recreate the flame on your average range. I kept failing at home on my electric range due to sudden heat loss which meant the oil soaked in and got greasy or worse, food stuck I tried a friends turkey fryer burner, worked pretty good, so I bought a 60,000 btu wok burner on the internet that hooks to a bbq propane bottle for a stir fry party... It's legit!

[Roger S]

At Korean BBQ's its often served as a side sauce, sesame oil and salt.

Ahhh.... I have never tried that because it usually says it's for two people and I'm usually eating Korean food alone.... Maybe I'll choose B-Won for my birthday dinner this year and then my family can't say they don't want to go there.... haha

[Dubya61]

It might help to change the way you cook the rice to begin with. I've seen some rice recipes that have you put the rice and some oil/fat in the pan and sort of brown or toast it before you add water and bring it to a boil. I just did a search on google and can't find any, so I might be having an acid flashback, again, but I bet that would be a great way to add some flavor that you find missing.

[tfvc.org]

It might help to change the way you cook the rice to begin with. I've seen some rice recipes that have you put the rice and some oil/fat in the pan and sort of brown or toast it before you add water and bring it to a boil. I just did a search on google and can't find any, so I might be having an acid flashback, again, but I bet that would be a great way to add some flavor that you find missing.

A lot of European style rices are cooked that way, cooking the rice in oil first with garlic, black pepper, salt, vegetables, ect then adding the water and covering. Pilafs, paellas, risottos, etc. However most Asian style rices are simply steamed or boiled. The trick for stir frys is using day or so old rice so it is dry, or even crunchy. The moisture in the rice is going to prevent it from getting that browning effect.

[ctchandler]

A lot of European style rices are cooked that way, cooking the rice in oil first with garlic, black pepper, salt, vegetables, ect then adding the water and covering. Pilafs, paellas, risottos, etc. However most Asian style rices are simply steamed or boiled. The trick for stir frys is using day or so old rice so it is dry, or even crunchy. The moisture in the rice is going to prevent it from getting that browning effect.

My Chinese fried rice recipe says to wash it thoroughly, (to remove the starch that will make it sticky), steam or boil it, then put it in the refrigerator over night, but at least for several hours. I normally don't have leftover steamed rice so that's how I do it and it comes out really good.
C. T.

[citywokchinesefood]

My Chinese fried rice recipe says to wash it thoroughly, (to remove the starch that will make it sticky), steam or boil it, then put it in the refrigerator over night, but at least for several hours. I normally don't have leftover steamed rice so that's how I do it and it comes out really good.
C. T.

30 minutes to an hour is all you need to get the desired effect for your rice if you are cooking with a GOOD gas burner. An electric range is way too inconsistent to make good homemade fried rice consistently on. If you really want to do it at home and you don;t have a gas range and decent wok, you just need to get a camp stove and decent wok. The main thing you are looking for with a wok is that it has uncoated steel It absorbs and transfers heat exceptionally well and every asian restaurant ever uses them. If you want to pump the nuttiness up to 11 finish with sesame seed oil, but personally I love thai style rice made with fish sauce. Chow's fishy fried rice is good, but I will take most of the good thai restaurants rice over it.